Container



March 28, 1933. F. FORTUNA ET AL CONTAINER Filed Jun 25 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Jmnntom France m0 Fortuna.

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March 28, 1933.

F. FORTUNA ET AL CONTAINER Filed June 25, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2gwo'ewtou Ftanceoco F Sqbatizw G iatbmhg awmw Patented Mar. 28, 1933UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 FRANCESCO FORTUNA AND SABATINOGIANNANGELO, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK CONTAINER Application filed June25,

This invention relates to boxes and particularly to paper andcomposition boxes adapted to package cigarettes and the like.

Heretofore packages of cigarettes have been formed of sealed paperenvelopes which must be torn or otherwise mutilated in order to extractthe contents therefrom. After a certain number of cigarettes have beenremoved the packages may become distorted while in the pocket of theperson carrying it and may mutilate the remaining cigarettes. Thepresent invention comprehends a package having an inner sealing coveringfor the cigarettes to prevent air from reaching them with a dryingefiectand an outer covering having a removable cover, the cover beingreinforced so that when closed it will prevent distortion of the box andconsequent mutilation of the cigarettes, the innersealing material beingfrangible and being exposed upon opening of the cover to permit ofextraction of the cigarettes. Means are provided for retaining the coverin either open or closed position so that the user may have nodifficulty in extracting the cigarettes from time to time, and so thatat other times the package may be closed to prevent undue drying of orother injury to the cigarettes.

These and other objects and advantages, including those arising from thespecific arrangement and formation of the'parts of the package, willbecome apparent from the following description of typical embodiments ofthe invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawingswherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one device embodying the principles ofthe invention,

4 the cover being depicted as in open position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the box shown in Fig. 1 with the cover inclosed position;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank from which the outer coveringdepicted in Fig. 1

is formed;

Fig. 4 is a plan sectional view looking toward the bottom of the boxshown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1 showing another form ofouter box;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the article 1931. Serial No. 546,848.

shown in Fig. 5, the cover being depicted as in open position;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the blank from which the box in Fig. 5 isformed; and

Fig. 8 is a rear perspective view of the box shown in Fig. 5, the coverappearing in closed adjacent the juncture of the sections 10 and 13. Theedges of the ears opposite the lines 19 are provided with forwardly andinwardly inclined cuts or notches 23.

A top wall or cover 24 extends from the upper edge 25 of the rear wallltand has, extending from its forward or outer edge 26, a front wallforming section 27 and, from its side edges 28, side flange formingsections 29, the latter being of substantially triangular shape.Integral with and extending from the side edges 31 of the cover flange27 are ears 32.

In order to form the box from the blank the side wall sections 13 and 14are bent upwardly. about the lines 11 and 12 respectively and the sidewall sections 15 and 17 are bent about the lines 16 and 18,respectively, to form the side walls of the box, the walls 17 overlyingthe walls 15. The ears 21 are bent upwardly about the line 19 and aredisposed between and in spacing relation to the walls 15 and 17. Thecover 24 is bent upon the line 25 with respect to the rear wall 14 andthe flange portions 27 and 29 are bent downwardly upon the lines 26 and28, respectively, to form front and side walls for the cover. The ears32 are bent downwardly upon the line 31 to underlie the flanges 29 whichare preferably of the same shape.

A plate 33 having notched corners 34 is cemented or otherwise secured tothe bottom surface of the cover 24, being disposed in such relation thatthe notches will occur at the front side edges of the box when the coveris closed. An elastic band 35 is passed through the box, extendingthrough the spaces 36 between the inner and outer side walls 16 and 17,respectively, and between the ears 21 and the inner wall 15, engaging inthe cut 23 and extending through the notches 22 in the ears and alongthe forward edge 11 of the bottom wall 10.

Upper portions of the band 35 are passed between the plate 33 and thecover 24, ex tending along the forward edge 37 of the plate and passingthrough the notches 34 at the side edges of the plate. After placing ofthe elastic band, the forward and rear edges of the inner and outer sidewalls 15 and 17 may be secured together as indicated at 38 in Fig. 4,any suitable means being employed. The ears 32 may be secured in underlying relation to the side flanges 29 of the cover to form apermanent flanged cover construct-ion.

Before or after complete assembly of the box, inner frangible sealingmaterial 39, covering the cigarettes, or like contents 40, may be placedin the box. The sealing material will prevent air or other substancefrom admixing with and producing a deteriorating affect upon thecigarettes before they reach the ultimate consumer, the box cover, withits flanges, cooperating to prevent the sealing material 39 from beingbroken before reaching the consumer. When the latter receives thepackage he may break or tear the frangible material 39 as indicated inFig. 1 in order to remove the cigarettes, the cover being moved to openposition against the urge of the elastic band 35 in order to expose thematerial 39 for fracturing. After extraction of a cigarette the covermay be snapped to closed position by the elastic band so that thepackage will assume its original appearance and the remaining cigarettesin the packages will be amply protected from dirt or the like or fromfalling from the package. In order to facilitate the break- "ing of thefrangible material 39 and to provide greater access to the contents ofthe package, the forward wall 13 may be cut away at its upper end asindicated at 41.

In order to retain the cover in open position as indicated in Fig. 2,the blank may be cut inwardly as shown in Fig. 3 at 43 along the lines18, whereby upon moving the cover to open position the elastic bandadjacent the rear upper edge of the box may move rearwardly beyond thecover hinge axis 25, as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 2, so that theelastic band will exert a downward force on the cover along a line offorce to the rear of the hinge axis, thus holding the cover open untilthe band again passes forwardly past the hinge axis, when it will urgethe cover to closed position.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 5 to 8 the blank of Fig. 7has a bottom wall 50 with front and rear walls 51 and 52 extending fromand integral with the front and rear edges 53 and 54 thereof,respectively. Inner side wall 55 extends from the side edges 56 of thefront wall 51 and outer side wall members 57 extend from the side edges58 of the rear wall 52. Integral with and extending from the side edges59 of the bottom wall 50 are ears 61 having their forward bottom cornersnotched as indicated at 62. The hinged cover 63 is of similar form tothat described in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, it being hinged to the rearwall 52 along line 54 and being provided with a forward depending flange65 extending from the front edge 56 of the cover and side flanges 67depending from the side edges 68 of the cover. Extending from the sideedges 69 of the front cover flange 65 are ears 71 which aresubstantially triangular, being of the same shape as the side flanges67. Adjacent the forward and side edges of the cover 68 are formed apair of openings 72 for passing an elastic band and upon the inner faceof the rear wall 52 is provided a reinforcing plate 73 for cooperatingwith the rear wall 52 in supporting an elastic band retaining clip 74.

The box is formed in substantially the same manner as that shown inFigs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the blank being bent along lines 53, 54, 56, 58and 59 and the cover being bent along lines 64, 66, 68 and 69. Anelastic band 75 is passed between the outer and inner side walls 55 and57 and between the ears 61 and the outer side wall 57, through thenotches 62 along the forward edge of the bottom wall 50, through theopening 72 in the cover, and over the outer surface of the cover and theouter surface of the rear wall 52, being secured medially of the sideedges of, and below the upper edge of, the rear wall by the clip 74.After placing the elastic band, the box may be permanently securedtogether, in the manner previously described, the forward and rear edgesof the inner and outer side walls 57 being secured together by anysuitable means. The cars 71 are folded to overlie the side flanges 67 ofthe cover and are secured thereto in any suitable manner.

In use the cover 63 will be held in either open or closed position bythe elastic band and will thus permit of ready extraction of cigarettesor the like from its interior. The box is relatively inexpensive tomanufacture, being formed almost completely of a single strip of paperor other fibrous or composite material. lVhen closed the flanges of thelid will provide a substantial reinforcement to prevent distortion ofthe container.

It will be understood that the herein described and illustratedembodiments are merely exemplary of the principles of the invention,which may be incorporated in other articles having differentcharacteristics, within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is: i

1. A cigarette box comprising outer bottom and side walls, an inner sidewall lying ad acent oneof said side walls and providing a spacetherebetween, a cover hinged to one of said side walls, and resilientmeans within said space and connected to the cover for normallyretaining it in closed position, said inner side wall acting to protectthe content-s of the box from the resilient means.

2. A box comprising front and rear walls, inner side walls connected tothe sides of one of said first-mentioned walls, outer side wallsconnected to the other of said first-mentioned walls, said inner andouter side walls being joined at the outer edges of the outer side wallsand spaced at their medial portions, a cover hinged to one of saidwalls, and resilient means disposed in the space between the inner andouter side walls to be guided thereby and connected to the cover fornormally retaining it in closed position.

3. A box comprising a bottom wall, front and rear walls connected to thebottom wall, inner side walls connected to one of said front and rearwalls, outer side Walls connected to the other of said front and rearwalls and spaced at their medial portions from the inner side walls,ears connected to the bottom wall and disposed between the inner andouter side walls, a cover hinged to the rear wall, resilient meansconnected to a forward portion of the cover and extending into thespaces between the inner and outer side walls, and said ears havingparts thereof engaging said resilient means for holding the lower endsthereof medial of the front and rear walls.

4. A box comprising a bottom wall, front and rear walls connected to thebottom wall, inner side walls connected to one of said front and rearwalls, outer side walls connected to the other of said front and rearwalls, side ears connected to the bottom wall and ex tending between theinner and outer side walls, said side ears having notches adjacent thebottom and front walls, a cover hinged to the rear wall, an elastic bandextending between said outer side walls and the ears and extendingthrough the notches in the latter along the front edge of the bottomwall, said elastic band being secured to the sides of the cover adjacentthe front edge thereof.

5. A box comprising a bottom wall, front and rear walls integral withand extending from the front and rear edges of the bottom wall, innerside walls integral with and extending from the side edges of one of thefront and rear walls, outer side walls integral with and extending fromthe side edges of the other of said front and rear walls, ears inte-'gral with and extending from the side edges of the bottom wall anddisposed between the inner and outer side walls, said ears havingnotches adjacent the bottom and front Walls and having forwardlyinclined cuts in the upper-edges thereof, a cover integral with andhinged to the upper edge of the. rear wall, and front and side flangesintegral with the cover and depending from the side and front edgesthereof, a plate secured to the bottom surface of the cover and havingnotches along the front side corners thereof, and a continuous elasticband extending between the ears and outer side walls, through thenotches in the ears along the forward edge of the'bottom Wall, andbetween the plate and cover and through the notches in the plate.

6. A box having front and rear walls, inner and outer side walls betweenthe front and rear walls, a cover hinged to the rear wall, said coverhaving openings therein adjacenti the front edge thereof, elastic meansextending from the bottom forward portions of the box between the .innerand outer side walls, through the openings in the cover, across the topof the cover and secured to the rear wall below the upper edge thereof.a

7. A box having bottom, front and rear walls, inner and outer side wallsbetween the front and rear walls, a cover hinged to the rear wall andhaving openings therein adjacent the front edge thereof, 'a'continuouselastic band extending between the inner and outer side walls, along theforward edge of the bottom wall, through the openings in the cover,diagonally across the outer surface of the cover, and attached to therear wall at a point' below the upper edge and medially of, the sideedges thereof.

8. A box comprising a bottom wall, front and rear walls connected to thebottom wall, side Walls extending between said front and rear walls,ears connected to the bottom wall and disposed adjacent said side walls,a cover hinged to the rear wall, resilient means connected to a forwardportion of the cover, said resilient means being retained at their otherextremity by said ears.

9. A box comprising a bottom wall, front and rear walls connected to thebottom wall, side walls extending between said front and rear walls,side ears connected to the bottom wall and extending adjacent said sidewalls, said side ears having notches adjacent the bottom and frontwalls, a cover hinged to the rear wall, an elastic band extendingbetween said side walls and the ears and extending through the notchesin the latter along the front edge of the bottom wall,'said elastic bandbeing secured to the sides of the cover adjacent the front edge thereof.

10. A box comprising a bottom wall. front and rear walls integral withand extending from the front and rear edges of the bottom wall, sidewalls extending between the front and rear walls, ears integral with andextending from the side edges of the bottom wall and disposed adjacentsaid side walls, said ears having notches adjacent the bottom and frontwalls and having forwardly inclined cuts in the upper edges thereof, acover integral with and hinged to the upper edge of the rear wall, andfront and side flanges integral with the cover and depending from theside and front edges thereof, a plate secured to the bottom surface ofthe cover and having notches along the front side corners thereof, and acontinuous elastic band extending between the ears and the side walls,through the notches in the ears along the forward edge of the bottomwall and between the plate and cover and through the notches in theplate.

11. A box having front and rear walls, side walls extending between thefront and rear walls, a cover hinged to the rear wall,

'said cover having openings therein adj acentthe front edge thereof,elastic means extending from the bottom forward portions of the boxalong the side walls, through the openings in the cover, across the topof the cover and secured to the rear wall below the upper edge thereof.

12. A box having bottom, front and rear walls, side walls extendingbetween the front and rear walls, a cover hinged to the rear wall andhaving openings therein adjacent the front edge thereof, a continuouselastic band extending along the side walls, along the forward edge ofthe bottom wall, through the openings in the cover, diagonally acrossthe outer surface of the cover, and adjacent to the rear wall at a pointbelow the upper edge and medially of the side edges thereof.

13. A box comprising a receptacle body, a cover hinged thereto andhaving its free edge swingable away from the body toward a backward openposition, said body having side walls, elastic means anchored at one endto the body and at its opposite end to the cover forwardly of its hingedconnection, whereby upon opening or closing movement of the cover theelastic means will move towards or away from the hinge connection, saidelastic means being disposed between said side walls of the body, andmeans between said side walls for guiding said elastic means in itsmovements between open and closed position of the cover.

14. A box comprising a receptacle body, a cover hinged thereto andhaving its free edge swingable away from the body toward a backward openposition, said body having side walls, and said cover having side walls,elastic means anchored at one end to the body between the side walls andanchored at its opposite end to the cover between its side walls andforwardly of its hinged connection whereby upon opening or closingmovethe box is closed.

FRANCESCO FORTUNA. SABATINO GIANNANGELO.

